Chapter 346 A Decision Made - Towards the Future
"I must complete my task and chase my dream," Asmodeus replied to Yuina with a confident voice, his tone without weakness and faltering like in the past.
\'She looks upset, yet I can feel it. Yuina\'s growing as a person, following her own goal and dream.\'
He felt like she understood him and accepted his desires and goals if he didn\'t face Serena and learn about the mistakes in his current situation. That he was ignoring the reason he started travelling and gaining strength.
\'My existence isn\'t only to live for the women I love... but to follow my goal to become the strongest, to surpass my mother... and my father. To defeat Alan and... after that...\'
Asmodeus looked bright—his lips curled into a brilliant smile as Yuina watched his changes, although she might not understand why or how he pulled himself from his rut.
"I am a little upset you wouldn\'t stay a little extra for me... but that\'s my selfish desire, hehe."
"Asmodeus... it\'s really nice to see you smiling like this again."
"Am I smiling?"
He touched his face as if shocked by her words—when he touched his lips, Asmodeus looked at Yuina with vibrant eyes. "I never realised something so simple would make me so happy, haha."
Yuina didn\'t know Ryuji back in the kingdom of Grigor.
So when the girls spoke about him looking like the old Ryuji when they met up to gossip, she felt left out. But now, when she saw his golden hair like the sun flickering from the breeze and his sapphire eyes... she felt happy.
Because they matched, and their children would surely look similar to them both.
"Fufu, I heard that your goal is to defeat all the spirit beasts, dragons and even the human hero in the future?" Yuina\'s eyes narrowed into curved slits, while Asmodeus clenched his fight and nodded while taking out a small notebook.
This book was something he began to write after his evening with Serena.
However, after that night, she would call him once a day. They would continue their passionate and aggressive copulation before lying in each other\'s arms. Serena would listen to him speak about his past and how he saw the events that happened.
\'Serena made it for me... it carries her scent. Is it her sneaky way of keeping her in my mind?\'
[Of course~ why would I let you run to other women... but I am happy you\'ve started looking for more reasons to live!]
\'It\'s thanks to you, and all the others... because I didn\'t listen before I almost got lost in the darkness with no way to turn back.\'
[It\'s a little annoying you added the others!]
[But I am also grateful they exist because they are the lights helping illuminate your path...]
[I am the road that follows wherever you go!]
Serena started to be more aggressive and affectionate in their chats together. He noticed she no longer seemed to care about losing her rights or powers. In fact, when Asmodeus trained against the other women until Asmodeus became exhausted.
She would use her divine powers to restore him to perfect condition so he could train with Baku afterwards!
\'Your such a romantic woman... make sure you get some rest, this morning was a little too intense.\'
"Asmodeus, are you alright?" Yuina\'s head tilted to the side slightly as her ears fluttered with the late afternoon sun glowing through the window, illuminating her faint smile.
"Sorry, I got lost in my thoughts... This book contains my current goals and desires, and the number one is to defeat Alan. Ah, he is the human hero and my best friend."
Asmodeus seemed to shine when speaking about his goals or desires—thus, Yuina couldn\'t help but cover her mouth and hide her wide smile while listening to him. "So your first goal is to surpass the hero of Grigor, the Grand Duke Alan Grigor?! My spouse has such a grand desire."
"Hahah, well he beat me before we parted and I don\'t want that guy getting cocky..."
"Come to think about it, I wonder how he is doing right now."
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.
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Meanwhile, Asmodeus begins to discover himself and his forgotten goals... Alan, the hero of mankind, swung his sword coated in golden light.
SHIIING—!
The golden light cut through a horrific figure, a demon created using multiple corpses of knights, with several arms and two heads.
Alan\'s blow caused a gap to form in the attacking demon forces, a wedge of them vanishing in his golden light as his body sparkled with small specs of divinity.
\'Phew... thank you, Goddess Serena.\'
When Alan started to lose the powers granted to him by Lumina, he dreamt of a mysterious woman with ten silver hails and deep, golden eyes.
\'That offer to protect Ryuji... and my powers would remain, no... the shackles on our family have vanished thanks to her!\'
He couldn\'t help but feel a deep sense of rivalry and gratitude towards Ryuji, whom he missed.
"We must take the fight to them! Follow me, my brave men! We shall return home tonight and enjoy a hot meal!"
"Follow his Grace!"
"For Grigor!"
Chants and yells filled the battleground as knights clad in holy magic charged forward—however, despite cutting down one large enemy, many more surrounded them!
"My Lord... the demons aren\'t dwindling. If this continues..." The Vice-Captain of his troop spoke as blood splattered over his once silver armour.
"Do not lose faith, I swear as your lord and a member of the Grigor Royal Bloodline I shall not allow you to fall!" Alan\'s voice boomed through the battlefield.
He then channelled his divine power through his body. Then, it exploded in a magnificent golden light while narrowing his eyes at the source of their numbers.
An abomination over three metres tall, a gigantic mass of flesh that devoured the fallen and spat out new demons.
"I will lead you all to a new dawn and future without fear! Are you with me!" A magical golden armour glistened and reflected the setting sunlight from Alan\'s chest.
"WE ARE WITH YOU!"
And so, despite facing countless odds and difficulties...
Humanity\'s true heroes once again faced an uphill battle to keep the demons at bay, protecting most of the world despite gaining none of the recognition. Not that they sought glory—they merely wanted peace.
Their fighting spirits were further lit up in a burst of light, Alan charging ahead and piercing the massive wall of flesh in front.
A few hours later, the entire force of 5000 suffered over 500 deaths, although every death counted. Alan\'s heart felt heavy with the losses. Today, they killed thousands of demons, but losing so many talented knights weighed heavily on his back.
\'Akari... are you well? I received your letter that our child will be born before the autumn leaves fall...\'
\'Will that fool come back after autumn and meet my child? I want to see his face... if he was to have a girl... and my child a son...\'
Alan\'s mind became light after the battle, the supporting forces taking their place as the knights who shone with golden light returned to their home. They would enjoy a warm meal and a minor victory, and they would be able to honour the fallen and what they achieved.
He gazed at the setting sun, looking at the moon as he remembered his best friend. Read exclusive content at empire
"Ryuji... we\'ve taken back two cities since you left... our defensive line, has returned to the previous second line. It\'s thanks to you, that I could stand up... although I haven\'t defeated that monster. I managed to bring her to a halt!"
\'However... why when it came to dealing more damage to her, did I feel you or something similar to you within that monster?\'
Alan\'s eyes closed.
He remembered the horror that took the form of his mother, his father, his beloved and then his brother\'s deceased wife...
But the final form was a strange person...
\'I believe that Serena\'s voice appeared at that moment... a shout as if she was filled with lament and agony.\'
"Ryuji... I want to know more about you, because you never told me anything like a clam, sealed tight."
He watched his knights all entering the tavern, their tired yet fulfilled faces making Alan feel at ease.
\'Who is Lilith? And why did the monster take the form of the late lady Lilly...\'
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In the following days, Asmodeus immersed himself in a tight routine. From the morning, he trained with the knights, exhausting himself to the limit and fighting fifty against one. Then, he would relax and spend time with his lovers and Alice, sometimes meeting merchants and nobles of the empire to build contact with them.
Then, after dinner, he would train alone in the evening, fighting monsters and speaking with Serena.
This routine continued for two weeks, with the empress Yuina\'s growing influence, although there were many nobles unsure about her.
The populace and people loved her because she made reforms and lowered taxes after the church and previous empress kept them higher to fund the Cult activities.
Finally, the last week approached.
It was the arrival of a special guest... Two, in fact.
"Asmo!"
"Asmodeus~~ I\'m here!" Erika\'s voice was louder than Yumiko\'s, and without waiting, she jumped into his arms as he waited at the palace gates.
"Erika!"
Asmodeus held the demon knight in his arms, swinging her around as she clung tightly to his chest. "I missed you so much!" She called out while Yumiko\'s foot tapped the floor, her lips pressed together, forming a frown.
He noticed her look and mouthed to the lovely fox. "I missed you so much Yumi."
His action caused her eyes to widen before she shook her head and showed a slight grin—he could pay attention to these little things now.
However... it was enough for Yumiko.
After being reunited, she didn\'t want to be angry with him, even if he knocked up her sister.